Defense behavior and tail loss in the endemic lizard Eurolophosaurus nanuzae (Squamata, Tropiduridae) from southeastern Brazil

Defense behavior of the endemic tropidurid lizard Eurolophosaurus nanuzae was studied in an area of rocky outcrops at Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais State, southeastern Brazil. Tail loss aspects of this species were also studied in lizards from three populations (Diamantina, Serra do Cipó, and Serro, M...

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Main Authors: Conrado A. B. Galdino, Emiliane G. Pereira, Angélica F. Fontes, Monique Van Sluys
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidade de São Paulo 2006-09-01
Series:Phyllomedusa: Journal of Herpetology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.phyllomedusa.esalq.usp.br/articles/volume5/number1/512530.pdf
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author Conrado A. B. Galdino
Emiliane G. Pereira
Angélica F. Fontes
Monique Van Sluys
author_facet Conrado A. B. Galdino
Emiliane G. Pereira
Angélica F. Fontes
Monique Van Sluys
author_sort Conrado A. B. Galdino
collection DOAJ
description Defense behavior of the endemic tropidurid lizard Eurolophosaurus nanuzae was studied in an area of rocky outcrops at Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais State, southeastern Brazil. Tail loss aspects of this species were also studied in lizards from three populations (Diamantina, Serra do Cipó, and Serro, Minas Gerais State, Brazil). Lizards relied primarily on crypsis to avoid detection by predators. Secondary defense strategies involved a complex set of behaviors. Mean maximum distance of flight was 1.68 ± 1.70 m. When captured,individuals attempted to flee, lifted the tail, produced distress calls, discharged the cloacal contents, waived their tails, and bit. Frequency of tail autotomy was 13.2% (n = 53) in Diamantina, 11.9% (n = 42) in Serra do Cipó, and 4.1% (n = 49) in Serro. Tail autotomy frequency did not differ among the three populations (X2 = 3.3, DF =2, p = 0.19). Tail autotomy did not vary between the years of the study (X2 = 1.32, p = 0.35) and did not differ between males and females among the studied populations.
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spelling doaj.art-4070fdd264ac4e89912fe766a995a9b22022-12-21T21:33:06ZengUniversidade de São PauloPhyllomedusa: Journal of Herpetology1519-13972006-09-01512530Defense behavior and tail loss in the endemic lizard Eurolophosaurus nanuzae (Squamata, Tropiduridae) from southeastern BrazilConrado A. B. GaldinoEmiliane G. PereiraAngélica F. FontesMonique Van SluysDefense behavior of the endemic tropidurid lizard Eurolophosaurus nanuzae was studied in an area of rocky outcrops at Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais State, southeastern Brazil. Tail loss aspects of this species were also studied in lizards from three populations (Diamantina, Serra do Cipó, and Serro, Minas Gerais State, Brazil). Lizards relied primarily on crypsis to avoid detection by predators. Secondary defense strategies involved a complex set of behaviors. Mean maximum distance of flight was 1.68 ± 1.70 m. When captured,individuals attempted to flee, lifted the tail, produced distress calls, discharged the cloacal contents, waived their tails, and bit. Frequency of tail autotomy was 13.2% (n = 53) in Diamantina, 11.9% (n = 42) in Serra do Cipó, and 4.1% (n = 49) in Serro. Tail autotomy frequency did not differ among the three populations (X2 = 3.3, DF =2, p = 0.19). Tail autotomy did not vary between the years of the study (X2 = 1.32, p = 0.35) and did not differ between males and females among the studied populations.http://www.phyllomedusa.esalq.usp.br/articles/volume5/number1/512530.pdfSquamataTropiduridaeEurolophosaurus nanuzaedefense behaviortail autotomysoutheastern Brazil
spellingShingle Conrado A. B. Galdino
Emiliane G. Pereira
Angélica F. Fontes
Monique Van Sluys
Defense behavior and tail loss in the endemic lizard Eurolophosaurus nanuzae (Squamata, Tropiduridae) from southeastern Brazil
Phyllomedusa: Journal of Herpetology
Squamata
Tropiduridae
Eurolophosaurus nanuzae
defense behavior
tail autotomy
southeastern Brazil
title Defense behavior and tail loss in the endemic lizard Eurolophosaurus nanuzae (Squamata, Tropiduridae) from southeastern Brazil
title_full Defense behavior and tail loss in the endemic lizard Eurolophosaurus nanuzae (Squamata, Tropiduridae) from southeastern Brazil
title_fullStr Defense behavior and tail loss in the endemic lizard Eurolophosaurus nanuzae (Squamata, Tropiduridae) from southeastern Brazil
title_full_unstemmed Defense behavior and tail loss in the endemic lizard Eurolophosaurus nanuzae (Squamata, Tropiduridae) from southeastern Brazil
title_short Defense behavior and tail loss in the endemic lizard Eurolophosaurus nanuzae (Squamata, Tropiduridae) from southeastern Brazil
title_sort defense behavior and tail loss in the endemic lizard eurolophosaurus nanuzae squamata tropiduridae from southeastern brazil
topic Squamata
Tropiduridae
Eurolophosaurus nanuzae
defense behavior
tail autotomy
southeastern Brazil
url http://www.phyllomedusa.esalq.usp.br/articles/volume5/number1/512530.pdf
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